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ASaladTable...FreshSaladsFootsteps
AwayfromYourKitchen!

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Consulting
Starting A Garden
Vegetable Varieties
+RZWR*URZ
Tomatoes
Peppers
Hot Peppers
Artichokes
Beans
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Lettuce
Spinach
Squash
Vegetables
Fall Vegetables

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ASaladTable,alsocalledaSaladBench,isagreatwaytogrowlettuces,
spinach,Asiangreens,scallions,andothershallowrootedvegetableson
yourdeckorapartmentbalcony.
Itsbasicallyalong,narrow2x4
(38x89mm)framewithawire
meshbottom,usually
(13mm)hardwarecloth.
Inthesimplestdesigns,apiece
ofwindowscreencuttofit
insidetheframerestsontopof
thehardwarecloth,andkeeps
thepottingmixfromwashing
out.Woodencrosspiecescanbe
usedtodividetheframeinto
compartmentstoseparate
differentvegetablesorsaladsat
varyingstagesofgrowth.

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Remodeling
and
Home
Design

SaladBenchwithSaladScapeTrays
SteveMasleyClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

Thebestdesignsemploy
modularSaladTrays,discussedbelow.

TrendingonGiO

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Herbs
Basil
Cilantro
Chives
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Container Vegetables
(VVHQWLDOV
Soil

GrowingHotPeppers

Composting
Organic Fertilizers
Natural Pest Control
Preventing Diseases
Planting Strategies
Gardening Tools
Garden Store
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Advantages|PottingSoil|SaladTrays
CareandFeedingofYourSaladTable

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GrowingPeppers

Testimonials

Ihadbeengrowinglettuce,spinach,Asiangreens,andbasilinwindow
boxesforseveralyearswhenIstumbledonAnneRaverspieceonsalad
benchesItTakesaHammertoGrowthisSalad intheNewYork
Times.
Asadeepdiggerandfanofraisedgardenbeds,Iknewmostgarden
vegetablesaremorevigorousiftheyhaveadeeprootzone.Atfirst,Ihad
troublewrappingmymindaroundgrowingsaladsin4(10cm)ofsoil,but

KWWSZZZJURZLWRUJDQLFDOO\FRPVDODGWDEOHKWPO

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6DODG7DEOH

afterItriedit,Iwassold.

Liam,Victoria,Australia
GregSchofield,Vancouver,
JudyGianetto,Wolcott,
PamCarter
LorriD
Clinton,Arkansas
University

BritishColumbia
Connecticut

SaladTablesHaveManyAdvantages
TheyreMobile.Inmostareasof
thecountry,lettucesespecially
lettucesgrowninsaladtrays
canttakethehotsummersun,but
theycanbegrowninfullshade.

SaladBenchwithSaladTraysReadytoHarvest

Amobiletableletsyourollitinto
theshadeinthesummer,thenroll
itbackouttofullsuninspringand
fall.

LikeWhatYouSee?Letusknow
orCommentonfacebook.

SeeWhatPinnersArePinning
fromGrowitOrganically.com

SteveMasleyClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

PopularPages

TheyobeytheFirstLawofFogeyErgonomics:Dontbendorstoopifyou
donthaveto.

Theplantsareatwaistheightyoucanharvest
leaves,mixsoils,andplantseedlingswithout
bendingover.Everythingisaccomplishedwith
smallmovementsofthewaist,withinthe
naturalreachofthearms.
Theygettheplantsupoutoftheshadeof
balconyrailings.Thiscanmakeabigdifference
inthegrowthofsmallseedlings,especiallyin
thespringandfall,whenthesunslantsinata
lowerangle.
Theycandoubleasapottingbench,aslongas
youreusingthemodularsaladtraysystem.
Withthetraysremoved,thetablebecomesa
perfectpottingbench.

GrowingTomatoes

SaladBenchEndView
SteveMasley
ClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

Twofersareimportantonapartmentbalconiesandothersmallspace
gardens,whereeverysquareinchcounts.

GrowingVegetables
inContainers

(ClickAnyImagetoSeeaLargerVersion)

GrowingLettuce

IadaptedmysaladtablefromadesignbyJonTraunfeld,aregional
specialistfortheUniversityofMarylandCooperativeExtension,anda
prominentadvocateofsaladbenches.
InTraunfeldsplans thesaladtablehadstaticlegs,andnobottomshelf
easiertobuild,buthardertomove,andnotasversatileasatableon
wheels.

GrowingBasil

Imodifiedhisdesign,addingasecondsaladframebelowandconnectingit
tothetoponewith2x4(38x89mm)legsattachedwithlagbolts.Iput4
(10cm)wheelsonthebottomtray,sothewholethingcouldbemoved
easily,evenloadedwithsaladtrays.
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6DODG7DEOH

Inmydesign,thebottomshelfcanbeusedforrecentlytransplantedor
regeneratingsaladscapes,orsaladtrayscanberotatedfromthetoptothe
bottomshelf.Oritcanbeusedforstoringpots,pottingmixes,orsoil
amendments.

StartingaVegetableGarden
(10MistakesBeginnersMake)

Advantages|PottingSoil|SaladTrays|Care
GrowingSpinach

PottingSoil
Plantrootsneedairaswellas
water.Gardensoilswithclayand
siltparticlesareheavy,andtheyre
toodensetodrainproperlyinthe
shallowrootzoneofasaladtrayor
table,soSoillessmixesare
usedinsaladtraysforsalad
benches.

BasicPottingSoilRecipe:CoarseSand,

GrowingCilantro

Compost,RehydratedCoir,andSmallLava
RockSteveMasley...ClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

FallVegetables

ASoillessMixisapottingmixcomposedof
aCoarseMaterialfordrainage,likeperlite,or5/16(8mm)
horticulturallavarock
aNutritionalMaterial,likegardencompost,wormcastings,or
compostedmanure,tofeedandsupportyourvegetables,anda

GrowingSquash

WaterRetainingMateriallikecoir(coconuthuskfiber),peatmoss,
orvermiculite,toholdmoisturebetweenwaterings.
Useequalproportionsifyoureusingarichnutritional
componentlikewormcastingsorcompostedmanure.If
youreusinggardencompost,use1partcoarsematerial,
1partwaterretainingmaterial,and2partscompost.

GrowingArtichokes

Iliketousewormcastings,becausethelastchamberof
thewormgutisloadedwithbeneficialbacteriaand
fungi,andthecastingsareinoculatedwiththese
beneficialsoilorganismsastheypassthrough.
Mostoftheseorganismsaredormantindried,bagged
wormcastings,butsomereviveoncetheyrewatered.
Freshwormcastingsifyoucanget
theminevitablyhaveafewworms
andwormcocoons,aswellasother
compostcritterslikeenchytreids,(a.k.a
potworms,cousinsofredcompost
worms),springtails,andorabitidturtle
mites,soeachtrayhasitsownnatural
soilecosystemgoing.Forinformation
onsettingupawormcomposting
system,clickHere.
FreshWormCastingswith
RedCompostWorms Steve

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GrowingBroccoli

GrowingGreenBeans

Freshwormcastingsputthenutrient
cycling(selffertilizing)capacityofa




6DODG7DEOH
MasleyClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

forestfloorecosystemtoworkinyour
saladtrays.

GrowingCarrots

Thewormsandtheecosystemtheybringtothetrayhelpconvertthe
nutrientsinthepottingmixintoplantavailableform.
Ifyouwanttomakeyourownpottingsoil,clickhereforabasicpotting
soilrecipe.Foracollectionofpottingsoilrecipesforeverypurpose,click
Here.

GrowingCabbage

(ClickAnyImagetoSeeaLargerVersion)

Advantages|PottingSoil|SaladTrays|Care

GrowingCucumbers

SaladTrays
Bothdesignsusemodularwoodentraysthatcanbemovedinandoutofthe
table.Theyrebasicallyarectangularframemadeoutof1x4(19x89mm)
pine,with(7mm)or(13mm)hardwareclothstapledtothebottom.I
screwcheapdrawerpullsintothetoponeachend,soitseasiertomove
themonandoffthesaladbench.
Mysaladtraysare22x15(55x
38cm).Istartedwithlarger
frames,buttheyweretooheavy
tomoveeasilyespeciallywhen
wetsoIwenttosmallersalad
trays,andmoreofthem.

LollaRossaandFlashyTroutbackLettuce
inaSaladTray SteveMasleyClickIMAGEtoEnlarge

Eachholds11lettuceorspinach
plantstworowsof4plants
alongtheoutsideedges,with1
rowof3plantsonstaggered
centersinthemiddle.

GiftsforGardeners

SaladTables

MorePopularPages

1x4(19x89mm)pineisrelativelycheap,buturbanforagersmaywantto
makesaladtraysfromscavengedwoodenpallets.Lookforpalletswith
thicker,sturdierslats,anduseasmallcrowbartocarefullyprytheslats
fromtheframes.
HowtoCompost

SaladTrays(ClickIMAGEtoEnlarge)
SaladTraysaremadeof1x4
(19x89mm)pineorfir,cutintolengths
andscrewedtogetherintorectangular
frames.Hardwareclothiscuttosize
andtackedtothebottom.Toavoid
splittingthewood,use1/43/8(6
10mm)twoheadedtacks,andtack
theminatanangleacrossthewireat
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OrganicNPKFertilizer





6DODG7DEOH

theedge.Dontruntheminastraight
linedownthemiddle(paralleltothe
sidesofthebox).

FactsAboutSoil

Cutapieceofwindowscreenasbigas
theouteredgesofthebox.Nylon
screenismoreflexibleandeasiertouse
thanaluminumscreen,buteithertype
works.Pressthescreendownintothe
boxtheextrawidthandlengthwill
goupthesidesofthebox,forminga
shallowtraytoholdthesoil.

NaturalGarden
PestControl

Fillthetrayswithagoodorganic
pottingmix,ormakeyourown.For
reallyluxuriousgrowth,addan
organicnitrogensource,likeacupof
alfalfameal,orcupfeathermeal,or
cupofbatguano.

Plantlettuceseedlingson4(10cm)
centersthats4(10cm)apartinall
directions.Startwitharow1(2.5cm)
infromthesideofthetray,then
staggerthenextrow,planting4
(10cm)fromthefirstrow,butsetting
theseedlingsbetweentheseedlingsin
thefirstrow.Thismeansyoullhave1
lessseedlinginthemiddlerow.Repeat
thepatternwiththefirstrowuntilthe
trayisplanted.Waterseedlingsin.

Hereisthesametray7weekslater.
ClickIMAGEtoenlarge.

Harvestthelargerouterleavesfirst,or
usetheCutandComeAgainmethod.
Cutwholeplantsoff11/2(3.5cm)
abovethesoillevel,takingasmanyas
youneed.Waterthestumps
thoroughly.In12weeks,theyll
regenerate,andyoullgetasecond
cutting.Incoolweatherandwith
certainvarietieslikeSantoro,you
mayevengetathirdcutting.
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6DODG7DEOH

Advantages|PottingSoil|SaladTrays|Care

CareandFeedingofSalad
BenchesandSaladScapes
Fertilizing
Iliketobuildorganicfertilizersintothepottingmix
asImmixingit.Inthecoolerweatheroflatefall
andearlyspring,nutrientcyclingisslower,so
animalbasedorganicfertilizerslikeworm
castings,compostedpoultrymanure,bloodmeal,
fishmeal,feathermeal,orbatguanoworkbest.
Fromlatespringthroughearlyfall,plantbased
organicnitrogensourceslikealfalfamealorsoy
meal,workwellforgrowingleafygreensinasalad
bench.
Applicationratesforsaladtraysare34cups/tray
forwormcastings(omitifyouusedwormcastings
asathirdofthepottingsoilmix)1cupcomposted
chickenmanure,cupfishmeal,bloodmeal,or
feathermeal,or1/3cupbatguano.(Theseamounts
applytomysaladtrays,whichholdfive1gallon
(15cm)nurserypotsofpottingsoileach.)
Ifyouuseanyoftheseconcentratedsoil
amendments,fillthetrayhalfwaywithpottingmix,
laytheamendmentdowninalayeroverthetray,
andmixitinwithacultivatororyourhands.Then
topoffthetraywithpottingmix,andplant.
Thatway,intheunlikelyeventthatnastybacteria
arepresent,theyreburiedinpottingmix,where
theycantsplashupontoleaveswhenyouwater.
Andifyourguestsfindouttheluxuriousnessofthesaladtheyreeating
comesfrombatguano,youcantellthemaboutthisprotocol.
Liquidorganicsoilamendmentslikefishemulsion,compostextract,and
compostormanureteaworkwellinbothcoldandwarmweather,buthave
tobeappliedmorefrequently.IusuallyusethemafterIcutacutandcome
againsaladtray,tospeedregeneration.
Useoverheadwateringtoapplythem,thenspraytheleaveswithagentle
showersettingtowashthefertilizeroffthefoliageandintothesoil.
Avoidapplyingliquidfertilizerswithin2weeksofharvesting.Thisgives
UVtimetokilloffanystrayperniciousbacteriaontheleaves.

Watering
Saladbenchesandsaladtrayshaveonebigdrawback:theyneedfrequent
watering.Threeorfourtrayswillneedagallonofwateradaymore,in
hotweather.Dripirrigationsystemscansimplifythischore,butmost
green,leafyvegetablespreferoverheadwatering,somicrosprinklersor
overheadwateringwithasoftspraywandarepreferable.
Iveused3foroverheadwateringinthelast25years.Theygetheavyusein
ouryearroundgrowingseason.
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6DODG7DEOH

Theylllast1015yearsiftheydontgetsteppedon,and
ifyoudontdragthehosebythehandleofthewand.
(Theresaplasticlipintheconnectorthatwearsoutif
youdragitbythehandle,sograbtheendofthehose
anddragfromthereinstead).

Advantages|PottingSoil|SaladTrays
CareandFeedingofYourSaladBench

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